Chapter 14

At last Harry's tears subsided. He looked into Eowyn's beautiful face, and was so deeply comforted by the compassionate smile on her face that fresh tears threatened to break again.
Eowyn touched Harry's cheek with a gentle finger, wiping away the tears.
"Strength, Harry," she whispered softly. "Have strength in these dark times."
He nodded, straightening up, to find the others watching him. Strangely, he felt no embarrassment.
Aragorn spoke suddenly, breaking the moment of silence.
"I am sorry to place this burden upon you, Harry," he said. "I am glad that you shed your tears now, for there is darkness ahead."
Harry stared at Aragorn across the table.
"What is required of me?"

Aragorn looked around.
"The company must split," he said. "I am not sure this is for everyone to hear."
"No," Harry said suddenly. "Please. I want us all to..."
He broke off, his eyes staring into Aragorn's.
"Are you sure?" asked Aragorn.
"Yes..." Harry said. "Last summer, I was in a house with my friends and people working to stop Voldemort. But they would not let us know what was going on the entire time...we were shut away, kept out of all that was going on. It was such a wrong decision."
Aragorn nodded slowly.
"Very well."

Aragorn paused, glancing around the company, before speaking again.
"You know of the prophecy that you have heard, made by one from your world?"
Harry nodded.
"Prophecy?" said Gimli uncertainly. "Sounds untrustworthy to me."
"Not at all, Gimli," said Legolas with a smile. "For Lord Elrond of Rivendell too has the gift of foresight. He has prophesised many things, although most he keeps secret."
Aragorn nodded.
"Seers have this gift in Harry's world. A certain seer made a prophecy about the Dark Lord...and Harry."
Harry nodded.
"What about Harry?" asked Eowyn worriedly, glancing at him.
"They are bound together," murmured Aragorn softly.
Eowyn gasped, looking at Harry.
"What?"
Harry nodded once more.
"We will meet again, Eowyn - for a final time. The prophecy says that one of us must kill the other."

Harry looked at his lap. He did not want to see the reaction on their faces. He found himself wandering back to one of his moments alone by the lake...remembering what it had felt like for him to first discover that his life must include, or end in, murder.
He certainly did not want his life to end, not now, or in the near future. But the prospect of killing someone, even Voldemort, chilled him to the bone. Fellow classmates had done well to avoid him in the corridors, it would seem...if that was where his life was to be headed...

Harry looked up suddenly, voicing his thoughts.
"I don't want to die," he said quietly. "But the idea of killing seems awful..."

The company looked at Harry, from all across the table. They seemed to be at a loss at what to say. Eowyn had her head bent, silent. Legolas was looking away from all of them. Gimli had his eyes on the tray where the last remainders of their lunch lay, and Aragorn had covered his face with his hands.

Harry did not know what to do; what to say. He could not see any way to make it right. The situation before them was terrible.
Suddenly Aragorn looked up. Harry stared at him in amazement. For there was no bit of sorrow or pain in Aragorn's face, but the most gleeful grin that Harry had ever seen. Harry was completely bemused at the expression, but it was infectious. He smiled back at Aragorn.
"Harry," said Aragorn, still with that wonderful, spreading smile. "One day this evil will fall down at our feet. And I will tell you now, we will not let you stand alone. We will be with you to the end, Harry, in darkness, in doubt, in fear, and in pain. And yet through the dark we will see the end, the light. The end will come, Harry, but it will not be our end."
And with that he stood up suddenly, knocking his chair aside and laying his hand on the table. He looked around at the company.
"Be with me on this. Let us stand together, fight together, for us, for freedom, against the greatest evil all races have ever known!"

Harry glanced at Eowyn, who had risen up. Throwing her hair back, with a proud and glowing smile, she placed her hand on top of Aragorn's.
"Forever."
Gimli leapt up from his chair.
"Almost certain death?" he asked Aragorn.
"I'm afraid so, Gimli," said Aragorn with a grin.
"Small chance of success?"
"Absolutely."
"Well then," said the dwarf, rising up to his full height. "What are we waiting for?"
Eowyn laughed out loud as Gimli placed his hand down on top of hers. Legolas smiled and followed suit.
Harry stared at them, unable to voice what he was feeling. They were so strong, so incredible, he suddenly felt untouchable. He reached down and placed his hand on top of Legolas' with a sudden rush of adrenaline, and for a moment, they all looked at the hands down on the table, their hearts beating fast, staring at the alliance they had created. Harry could not help but smile with such pride at knowing what he had pledged to do.
"Forever," he whispered.
"Forever," the murmur came from the others, and suddenly the hands were withdrawn, yet the doubt had not. It glowed among them, strong as ever, as Eowyn had whispered to him only moments ago. Harry could hold back his gratitude no longer, and threw his arms around the beautiful young woman. She hugged him back just as hard, and Harry felt the others join him. He drew back to look at them.
"Thank you," he said softly.

Aragorn inclined his head.
"And now, Harry, I feel inclined to ask you what you would like to do. At the moment we are waiting to move...we do have time on our hands. Is there anything you would like?"
Harry thought for a moment.
"Yes," he said finally. "I would like to practise magic."

Aragorn took a deep breath. Eowyn looked round at Harry, her smile fading slightly.
"Are you sure, Harry? Last time..."
Her voice tailed off as Harry stared back at her defiantly, meeting her eyes with a strange boldness.
"Yes," he said.
He did not see Aragorn, Gimli Legolas and Eowyn exchange solemn glances as he turned to reach for his wand. He did not know what lay in store for him, the news that would be brought to his attention.
He had to understand, before he could apply.

Harry reached for him wand on the bedside table in the room, and accidentally knocked his bag of possessions onto the floor. In one fluid movement, his silver invisibility cloak lay on the ground.
"What is that?" Legolas asked curiously.
"My invisibility cloak," Harry replied slowly. Something was wrong. He lifted it up and wrapped it around him. Nothing happened. It remained visible, as did the rest of him.
"A magical cloak?" Legolas said wonderingly. "To make you unseen to the normal eye?"
Harry nodded, not daring to look up.
"How do you activate it?" Gimli rumbled.
Harry remained silent.
"Harry?" said Eowyn, sensing something was wrong.
"That's just it," Harry mumbled. "You shouldn't be able to see me...it isn't working..."
His voice broke off. He didn't understand it. Somehow, he was stripped of his powers...what could he do? How was he to survive?

"Harry!" Aragorn called suddenly. Harry started, dropping his cloak. Aragorn walked quickly towards him, strange, curious worry in his eyes. He took hold of his arm.
"Come," he said, pulling Harry along. "That is it. We are going to see Gandalf."
And with that he strode to the other side of the room, Harry attempting to free his arm from Aragorn's grip. Aragorn opened the door, and walked out into the hall outside, leaving the others.
"Get off me!" Harry spat angrily. "I can walk by myself!"
Aragorn looked at him suddenly, humbled.
"Forgive me," he said quietly, releasing his arm.
"I will not!" replied Harry angrily. "What are you doing? Where are we going?"
"I have already said. To see Gandalf."
"But why?"
Aragorn turned once more to look at Harry, yet he would not meet his eyes.
"I cannot tell you."

"For God's sake!" Harry yelled suddenly, stopping in his tracks. "You don't care, do you? You're all the same, every single damn one of you! You don't care about how the hell I feel, dragged around, told to shut up and listen and that everything will work out. It never does! Aragorn, PLEASE! Tell me!"

As Aragorn looked away, his face screwed up in confusion and emotion, it happened.